Massachusetts reports 41 new coronavirus cases

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State House News Service

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker.

By Camilo Fonseca, Editor-at-large

Massachusetts reported 41 new coronavirus cases Sunday, a decline from the 91 cases reported Saturday. The death toll rose by 5.

Cases have consistently fallen below 100 for the last week, and have not topped the 200 mark since June 13. These marks have the lowest numbers reported through the pandemic; even at their lowest point last summer, cases were still rising over 100 each day. 

The state reports two COVID-19 positivity rates—one with higher education testing and one without. On Sunday, the seven-day test positivity rate with higher education testing removed sat at 0.5 percent—the lowest mark the state has reported since it began tracking the metric. This time last week, it sat at 0.6 percent. The rate that includes higher education sits at 0.3 percent. 

The state reported 108 hospitalizations Sunday, down from the 133 reported this time last week; hospitalizations, like case numbers, have also fallen to lows not seen since last August.

On Sunday, Massachusetts reported 23,667 new vaccinations, bringing the state’s total to 8,449,443. More than 59 percent of the state’s population is now fully inoculated against COVID-19—meaning they have received both doses of the vaccines manufactured by Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. 

Emerson’s latest dashboard update reported no positive COVID-19 tests out of the 55 administered on Thursday.